Day 55 ~ More Than Just A Souvenir!

Unfortunately, our days here in Pointe Dume are now numbered.  Big sad face!  However, this trip I am taking so much back with me~.

This trip has been more than just about my 30th high school reunion; it's been more than just about loosing weight (and maintaining it off and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for not only myself and my family)...

This family vacation, in my eyes and in my heart, has brought my family closer and has given me a wholesome look at myself and my life.

So many times, myself included, we are so quick to judge the driver next to us (who by the way may have just totally cut us off~ clueless to any of their surroundings), or even the person sitting next to you at a restaurant...  more so, we forget, that just like ourselves, these people also have troubles of their own.

I have come to the realization, that besides ALL of my trials and tribulations, ups and downs, and all the history I have left behind me, that I AM BLESSED!!

Even though we may struggle to pay our bills, or just to cope with the daily ins and outs of our own lives... I have a beautiful family, a husband that is dedicated to his family's happiness, and children who are healthy, and still with me.

And myself... well, I have never felt this good about myself!!!

Now, I can't take all the credit.  I give credit to my family, and all the lovely people that are on my "Dream Team"!  

Why?  Well, I have never in my life have felt like I have so many people on my side.  Not that there are sides to choose.  What I mean is that, I feel as if I have the biggest family in the world that loves and supports me.  Who understands me.... and still loves me!!  

I feel a renewed strength within me, including faith that is never ending.  I feel that we can do anything that we set our mind and heart to.

And with that said... I feel blessed!  

Blessings to all!!

310 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent. 

Day 51 ~ My Dream Team Continues to Grow with Angels!

courtesy of Bing images

Life has given me ups, downs and in-betweens, that's for sure.  But the thing I am most grateful for, has been the "Angels" that have been placed in my life!

I have had my struggles with family, which I am sure that that will be endless... however, one constant, has been my friends, or rather what I like to refer to as my "Angels" on my "Dream Team"!

It may have not been apparent at the time, and the world may have felt as it was ending... BUT as I look back, I have always had my "Angels" by my side.

I mentioned that through my blogging, my desire is to be able to help someone else through my experiences... which in turn in my eyes would have made it worth it having gone through what I did.  All the days and nights that I spent in fetal position, all the tears shed, all the moments longing for my children... ALL OF IT WOULD BE WORTH IT if I can spare someone else from going through it.

courtesy of Bing images

Life has a funny way of doing things... a funny way of putting something or SOMEONE in your path of life...

Monday, when Dean, Calley and I were headed to the beach, we were indecisive as to where we wanted to go... so we just went where our feet took us...

Before I knew it, I spent my day not only with my family, but with a new Angel in my life!!  Alysia.  Not only that, but as we talked and shared, I discovered that we were meant to meet!  You see, she is going through a horrible divorce from a controlling man, who wants to take her children from her!  As I shared my story with her, as well as my blog, it was as if the heavens opened up and was shinning on us both!  Seriously!!  

I do not want to get too personal with her story, and I do not know if you want to call it fate, us meeting that is... however, I certainly think so and sincerely hope that I can help her fight and not give up.  

For a mother, it is second nature to put our children's needs before our own, and with that said, we need to do what is right for them, even if it takes a lifetime.  Believe me you never want to hear the words... "why didn't you fight harder for me?!" ... as I did from my Logan.  It broke my heart!  and I thought I fought... I just saw how tired their little faces were of all the court dates, counseling, etc... but I should have gone to trial!  "Shoulda, coulda, woulda!!!"

Alysia, was not the only "Angel" placed in my path this week...

Last night I had the most amazing night at one of my dearest "Dream Team" Angels... :)   Talk about a house full of angels... Jeannie has been a part of my life for twenty-five years now!!  We met as neighbors, and not only that but we were pregnant with our first borns... who ultimately were born nine days apart!!

Jeannie, has seen me get knocked down (figuratively speaking), and witnessed my marriage to my sons' father... she even socked him in the stomach once!  Got him good too!!!

Prior to my heading over to her home, I received a text from her asking if it was ok to have one of her many children over too because she herself just broke up with her (controlling and verbally abusive man, several years her elder) boyfriend.  I told Jeannie... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!  Of course not!!!

When we got there... Jeannie shared with me that she thought they were supposed to get together tomorrow night, however my Angel was thinking...  Diana needed to come over TONIGHT!!!  It was meant to be!!!

What an amazing young lady.  Diana is my eldest son's age, 24, and already has seen the devil, more than once!  (ha ha- just kidding, oh well, maybe not!)  SO sad to see someone so young going through such ugliness in a relationship!  The great thing about it... they did not marry and do not have children together!!!  That definitely is a plus... now, to get all the ugliness out of her and bring her up to the place she should be at!  Hold her head up high, believing in herself and best of all... loving herself!!  

Diana, first of all... you made it through night one!! Major accomplishment!!  and secondly... you have not only Jeannie by your side, but Chelsea & Becki (angels in training!!  heck not!!... they are already Angels... and they're mine too!! - after all their mama is Jeannie!!!)  Be strong and know that you can always count on ALL OF US!

I know I had, and continue to have bad experiences from my marriage to my boys' father... and I never EVER thought I would say this... BUT...

I truly feel blessed for having gone through what I did with my children and their father... today I am a strong woman because of it! It is said that we should embrace our experiences in life, after all, it makes us who we are today!!

I have close friends who nurture me and make me laugh.

I am open to friendship, and I now attract the most wonderful new friends to me.

My circle of friendship continues to grow beyond what I ever expected 

Blessings to all!!

314 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent. 

Day 41 ~ Friends... Part Deux

So Dean brought up a couple of really good points about my Day 39 post, as did one of my wonderful friends...

Courtesy of Bing images

My friend Elisabeth, who has been beyond an "angel" in my life, and which I sincerely hope that our flight together as friends takes us until we are old and gray!.. definite Dream Team player... brought to my attention that my post on friends may have come across as my having "expectations" ... 

Let me expand on this...  It's not that I expect these qualities from my friends... the fact is that my friends already possess these qualities, and I want to be that type of friend as well...    

Courtesy of Bing images

Earlier in the day... my wonderful husband commented... "well, I can have a good friend... we have fun times... years go by... that's great... one day he turns out to be a molester or a murderer, I am not going to stand by them..."

Well Dean, that's a given!  Really?  I will not cross that line either.  

I choose to have my life filled with positive people.

I have close friends who nurture me and make me laugh. 

I have an abundance of loving, supportive friends.

Blessings to all!

324 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent. 

Day 36 ~ Forgiveness, Releasing Part of the Past One Day at a Time

Today was a good day with the exception of not starting my workout until almost three in the afternoon.  I think that is why I have been dragging all day!!

The reason for that... well sometimes "life" does not care that you have to workout in the morning- it wants it now!!  In other words, sometimes one has to be flexible.  

Courtesy of Bing images

Needless to say, I have a problem with flexibility.  Meaning that I like to plan things ahead of time, and sometimes when it is not going according to plan I FREAK OUT!!  I recognize that, and I have to allow life to happen for me,  if not I am going to drive myself crazy.  I am learning to stop, and take a deep breath and step back and enjoy (sort-of-speak).

Even though I had to run errands in the morning, so that Dean could have the car in the afternoon, I did have a good day.  

Great thing happened to me on the way to run errands today, I got to see a wonderful friend of the family, Nicole.  What a surprise!!  I love that lady!  Didn't always feel that way... Don't get me wrong, it was me, not her.  

You see, I have allowed my history with my parents, as well as other things that have happened to me, cloud the way I saw people and life itself.  It's not that I was jealous or envious of Nicole, and other happy beautiful people like her...  As Nicole put it, 

"bad things have happened to you in your life and they made you look at life, people and things differently than others...you are who you are because of your experiences, which have made you a strong person."

Courtesy of Bing images

I have walked around with a frown on my face long enough.  Every day something would happen to me.  Whether with my dad, my boys, my ex, my mother, my sister... you name it, it seemed as if something new would happen everyday and if not I would still be getting over what had happened the day before.  YES EVERYDAY!  How can someone possibly walk around with a smile on their face when there's bad things constantly happening to them?

Then if that's not bad enough, you have to live and be around the happy people!  How can anyone possibly be so happy?  And then after a while, no one calls you, why? Because your sad all the time, or every time you are invited to go somewhere, at the last minute you always cancel.

With Nicole, I think deep inside, I too wanted to be that happy... She was and always is so happy, not to mention very loved and protected by her family.  Something I never had.  After all, my family had always hurt me!  My father belittled me, my mother was never there for me, my sister constantly hurt me, and even though my brother and I always have gotten along wonderfully, he was and is never there for me in the sense that he does not have time for family, his work comes first.

Calley and Nicole

Not that I was completely crappy to Nicole, I feel that I did not welcome her with open arms- mind you, she has been "part" of my husband's family longer than I have!  I had a wall up.  I don't know what changed in me.  Maybe it was that no mater what she was always so kind to me, and very, very loving to Calley.  I finally started seeing through the dark clouds... she was and is an awesome and beautiful person.  It is not her fault that I have had the life I've had!

Courtesy of Bing images

So one day, we finally went out to lunch and I apologized to her.  She open-heartedly accepted my apology, and more importantly now calls me her sister.  

Nicole, you have helped me in more ways that you can imagine.  You have shown me how to love the simplest of things, and you have helped me to accept myself a little bit each and every time I see you.  I could not ask for a better person to be on my "Dream Team".  You will always be a part of my family, and an inspiration!  When I grow up I want to be like just as kind and loving as yoU!!  I love you!!! 

 It is not the events of life but how we respond to them that defines the joy and success of our lives.  ~  author unkown

Blessings to all!

329 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 34 ~ Blogging... Good for the Mind, Body & Soul!

Tomorrow will be five weeks since I have been writing.  At the risk of sounding redundant, I never knew I would be feeling like this. 

Today was a good day.  I have not touched the subject of another blog... well guess what... for those of you that do not know... I have started another blog!

Crazy? No.  My second blog~ "My wii Fit Plus 21 Day Challenge",  is a short term blog, hence the title.  I will be writing it for only 23 days.  I am challenging myself to loose 15 pounds in 21 days, and it also includes health and cooking tips. The first day was an introduction and the 23rd day will be a conclusion statement.  

Before you shake your head, read it!  Then if you want, you can shake your head. ;)

My first blog... is good for my soul,  and my second one is good for my body.  Both of my blogs together, are great for my mind!

As a result... well let's just say that I am starting to feel pretty good... not just physically, but emotionally too!  So much so... that I am feeling proud of myself for the first time in my life!  

Courtesy of Bing images

With all that said... today I was told by mom Gene (my mother-in-law,) that she was proud of me.  Needless to say, she too is on my "Dream Team".  Earlier in the day, a very dear friend of mine, Diane, who is also on my "Dream Team" wrote to me and said "thanks for opening up and sharing so much of yourself to the world. You are an inspiration!"  I cried then (happy, proud tears) and once again I am crying now.  She's even going to get her wii out of the garage!   YES!!

It's not that I need recognition, after all I am doing this for myself and my family, but let me tell you it sure was awesome hearing!!  

Therefore, between both blogs... I am really standing tall today!  

Courtesy of Bing images

Thank you Jesus for the strength and knowledge you give me each day!!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.   Colossians 3:17

Blessings to all!

331 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 29 ~ "1,000 View Milestone"

I've been blogging for four weeks now... can't believe it!  I know that this blog is not the book I always wanted to write, but the fact that it has taken a life of its own for me~ that it has given me something to look forward to each day and the way it is lifting me up...I know I've said it before ...well... I AM LOVING IT!   

The book will come... all in due time... all in due time  :)

I can't believe it... I just  got happy tears! as I wrote all of that.  This blog... makes me happy!  Is that crazy?  Can just sitting down each day with my thoughts and sharing myself help me feel that way?... and actually if you think about it (please, I am not condescending or trying to sound as if by any means..) I am also leaving "my self", "my thoughts", "my history" on cyberspace so that my children will one day know the woman I was and how much they meant to me and how much I love them... "to the moon and stars above!" 

Courtesy of Bing images

And with that said... yesterday my blog reached a new milestone... 1,000 views!!  Before you ask... my personal views are not included in the count. lol   It counts each time a post is viewed on my blog, not number of people that have viewed my blog... I wish!!  maybe one day!

I did a little research online (thank you, Kenya! ...never thought of doing so until you mentioned it  ~ also on my "Dream Team"!) and  I registered my blog with a blogging community, bloggers,  where people from all over the world read and review each other's blogs ~ who knows I may reach that "one person".  I've been on Facebook for what seems the beginning of it all (way, way before it was cool) And I finally went and did it... I'm now on twitter too!  LOL!!

In as much I have discovered that my blog has been read from people as far away as Ireland and India, as well as Canada.  I don't know about you?...  But all I have to say is ... this is pretty cool!   :)

Not only that, but I am getting the best comments. "Dream Team" material~ which makes you part of my "Dream Team"!!  Very supportive, caring and inspiring!  I would love your comments, if you are reading this, to become a part of my blog... meaning that It would be awesome if you all would leave your comments on my posts so that they become part of my blog, so that one day my children may read how my wonderful friends supported me!  

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;  weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5 

Blessings to all!

336 days to go.



All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.